1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to gaming machines and, in particular, to controller-based linked gaming systems.
2. Statement of the Problem
Gaming machines are well known and include a variety of games such as slot, poker, and keno. Gaming machines can also be programmed to play a variety of games. Players insert monetary amounts by inserting coin, token, paper currency, or magnetic card; pushing credit buttons; or other suitable entry of monetary value to play one or more games on a particular gaming machine. Such monetary amounts are usually translated into a number of units of the lowest unit of currency receivable by the machine, referred to herein as the unit bet. Such operation is well known in the art.
Upon entry of a monetary amount, the gaming machine determines therefrom which games and/or payoffs the player qualifies for based upon an internal game in the machine and on an associated internal pay table in the machine. The player is then normally required to take some action to institute playing of the game such as pushing a play button or pulling a lever arm. The player then plays the game according to the rules of the game. The player either wins the game or loses the game. If the player wins the game, the player is given the payoff established by the gaming machine for the particular game being played. This payoff varies considerably from type of game played to the type of winning combination in the rules of the game. Typically, the payoff is a return of monetary amounts equal to or in excess of the monetary amounts entered to play the game. Winning or losing the game completes the gaming cycle. If the player loses the game, the player typically loses the amount wagered and there is no payoff. The gaming machine then conditions itself so as to be able to again receive monetary amounts to begin another game cycle and the process repeats. Such individual stand-alone conventional gaming machines are found in numerous casinos throughout the world and are made by a number of different manufacturers. Conventional gaming machines include a variety of different slot machines (video or mechanical), poker, keno, etc.
In order to attract more players to such gaming machines, progressive gaming systems were developed. Progressive gaming systems permit the player to play individual gaming machines as discussed above. To add to the excitement of play, the individual gaming machines are linked together to allow players to compete for an additional common award or "progressive jackpot." The progressive jackpot award can amount to a substantial amount of money. Progressive gaming systems are also found in casinos throughout the world. In some environments, the progressive jackpot award is an expensive vehicle, such as a motorcycle or sports car. In progressive gaming systems, a programmed controller is provided for linking the machines together. The controller receives the unit bets from the linked machines as well as machine identification information from each machine and supplies to the players, either through displays provided on their respective machines and/or a common overhead display, information as to the common progressive jackpot.
In one type of progressive system, the controller controls the progressive game during each progressive game cycle by first establishing a jackpot-win amount in a random manner between maximum and minimum jackpot values. The controller has an internal random number generator for making this random selection. The controller also establishes a base value which is used as an initial amount for a current progressive jackpot amount, which is the progressive jackpot amount reported by the controller to the machine displays and/or the overhead display and display to the players. The current jackpot amount is recalculated or incremented by the controller each time a game is played at each gaming machine. The controller does this by adding to the current progressive jackpot amount an increment value based on the number of unit bets entered at the individual gaming machines in the progressive gaming system multiplied by a fixed progressive increment rate per unit bet. This is a continuous process since players at different machines are inserting monetary amounts to start game play at different times.
To this end, each gaming machine, as above indicated, reports its unit bet information to the controller or a communication link upon a player playing the gaming machine so that the current progressive jackpot value can be appropriately incremented. The gaming machine is also identified with conventional signaling to the controller with the bet information so that the controller knows which gaming machine resulted in the increment.
After each increment of the current progressive jackpot, the controller compares the new current jackpot value with the jackpot-win value, which it previously randomly established and stored. If the new value is less than a jackpot-win value, the controller merely updates the current jackpot value and communicates the updated value to the displays at the gaming machines and/or the overhead display. The controller then continues to monitor the unit bet information indicative of game play from the gaming machines and to increment the current progressive jackpot value based thereon.
When an increment to the current jackpot value causes the value to reach or become equal to the jackpot-win value, the controller determines that the jackpot has been won by the gaming machine, which resulted in the aforesaid increment. The controller communicates this to the winning gaming machine and the appropriate payment of the jackpot-win amount is made to the player. This suddenly surprises the player as it comes unexpectedly and adds excitement to the game.
After a jackpot has been won, the controller then institutes a new progressive game cycle in which it resets the progressive jackpot by randomly selecting, from values between the maximum and minimum jackpot values, a new jackpot-win value. The controller then also resets the current jackpot value to the base value and begins incrementing this value based on the fixed progressive increment. As before, this incrementing continues until the current jackpot value reaches the newly selected progressive jackpot-win value and the progressive jackpot is won again. The controller then repeats the progressive game cycle based on continued game play, as described above. The above type of linked random jackpot controller-based systems have been sold by the assignee of the present invention under the trademark MYSTERY JACKPOT and, for example, is discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,280,909. The '909 patent specifically teaches that the jackpot payout need not be a fixed jackpot-win value and that the award could be issued based upon conditions at the machine and paid when the next winning combination occurs at the machine. For example, the payout criteria might be to payout a jackpot equal to the award for the next winning combination established at the machine.
Another prior art slot promotion is called "Double Jackpot Time." Here, all gaming machines that are eligible receive "double jackpots" (i.e., 2.times.) for a period of time. At first, these "double jackpots" were manually operated by an attendant. To eliminate the cost of personnel, the double jackpots became automated. Variations arose including 3.times. and 5.times. pays. These conventional bonusing games are unpredictable from a casino-funding viewpoint and are usually short in duration--especially for the 3.times. and 5.times. pays. A need exists to manage both time-wise and finance-wise the bonus time for such games.
A need exists to improve upon the above progressive gaming system and the conventional "Double Jackpot" bonus games to attract players, to retain players at the gaming machine by extending play, and to add more excitement in playing the progressive gaming system. A need exists to extend the time period for "Double Jackpot Time" without bankrupting the system. A need exists to heighten player anticipation during "Double Jackpot Time" type bonus games. A need also exists to provide players with a feeling of group participation as they play a progressive game. A need further exists to provide regulation of the award of bonus jackpots during the bonus mode time period with respect to time of play and depletion of the bonus pool. A need finally exists to provide this form of regulation yielding stable system expectations.